I was just recently told that I should withdraw from the program because I would not pass clinical. I (at the time ) was told that I could reapply to the school and perhaps be readmitted. So I dropped. I have been having CONTINUOUS issues with this program and its instructors, and I had many complaints from hospital staff, but I have tried to address the issues. I have received complaints of unsafe clinical behavior, but it has been something like a one time incident of forgetting to remove my gloves before stepping out of a pt's room. I also was told I am not performing an acceptable physical health assessment when I examine my patient. I took Health Assessment in the fall of 2006, and haven't had any of it since. I reapplied to the program and took the tests and everything and submitted my application to re-enter the program the next year. My plans were to retake health assessment since my instructors have pointed out deficiencies in my physical assessment while in clinical, then I would go back and retake common concepts of adult health (med-surge 1) and be delayed for a year. It sounds like a good plan on paper so far, huh?
Skip ahead another couple of weeks to a week after my reapplication... I got a letter in the mail from the director of our nursing program stating that I would not be readmitted to the program due to "unsafe clinical behavior". Now I don't know what to do... Personally, I don't see my clinical behavior any different than the majority of the students in the program, I seem to get more difficult patients with more critical issues such as morbid obesity, inability to move, and such. I now have to apply to another program. However, one of the problems I face with that is previous program dismissal.
I can apply to another program, and I will more than likely get in, but so many of the other programs around here want you to be able to return to your previous program. What to do...
I really don't want to go to the Nursing Department and rehash all of this again, as the staff there (all 4 of them) are of the opinion that I shouldn't ever BE a NURSE! I am mad, tired, discouraged, and doubtful at this point. FORGET all the accolades I have had previous to this program, but now, the Nursing Department doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me. They don't even want to entertain the idea of me being back in their program. Our director is a REAL BIGWIG she is the former president of the Texas Nursing Association, and she is like a nursing God or something.
My current plan of action is to apply to another nearby program that is in a separate college nearby. I just feel like I should have had a second chance with this first program. And What about the Clinically unsafe opinions? That frightens me b/c I haven't been any different than any of the other students I have been on the unit with. I sort of feel like I have been hung out to twist in the wind by my instructors. I don't feel supported or taught or encouraged by any of them. I feel that I was judged harshly, and I am HUGELY DISSAPOINTED by my nursing instructors. I feel that I have only been criticized for my errors, and NOT shown a better way of anything. I am undecided about how to handle this dismissal.
Now I am actually close personal friends with the Dean of Students at this school. Should I involve her? Should I complain to the Dean of Students about this dismissal/denial of readmission, or should I just move on and reapply to this next program?
Currently I am just so let down by my level of instruction and I am really disheartened by the whole experience.
Here are my courses and grades so far:
Fall 2004: Lifespan Growth and Dev. 2314- A
Sp 2005: A&P1 - A
Summer 2005: Psych 2301 (intro) - A
Spring 2006: A & P 2 - B
Summer2006: English 1301 - A
Fall 2006: Health Assessment - A
Spring 2007: Microbiology - A
Fall 2007: Dosage Calculation - A
Spring 2008: Medical Spanish - A
Fall 2008: Foundations of Nursing - B
Fall 2008: Clinical for Foundations - B
Spring 2009: Med Surge 1 (Common Concepts of Adult Health) Withdrew - W
Spring 2009: Clinical for Med Surge 1 - Withdrew - W
This post just shows us how little you know, altered. Laura wrote asking for help, and constructive criticism, not ridicule, and sarcasm. If this is how you treat a classmate who asks you for help, you'd better be prepared for the same when you need some advice yourself.
altered, yes you do need a scope for wheezes....IF you can hear them w/o this is significant in and of itself....and NO in many programs you do NOT pick your own patients!
your general tone was not particularly helpful, and you need a little work on you own attitude
Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.
I would never say that I did not make mistakes, However, I was on one unit (the med surge unit) for all of my rotation , and while I was on this unit, I was in the room examining a pt with my back to the door when a Dr. came in to examine the patient. He was very quiet and unassuming. I had my back to the door and was giving a physical assessment on a female patient 38 y.o. I had my scope down the pt's gown listening to her heart and was continuing with my assessment to her back and abdomen. I barely noticed that there was another person in the room. I said something like I'm almost done, and he complained to the charge nurse. That was my first complaint. I went outside a pt's room once with gloves still on. That was another complaint. once when I was beginning to take 2 patients (as our program transitions us) I asked aLOT of questions to my primary nurse, and she stated to my instructor that I seemed unsafe. I had not done anything like give meds without a nurse or w/o checking them. I have had problems with a perfect physical assessment. and that was mentioned a few times. So I paid more attention to that part of my practice. I practiced my assessments and tutored with our instructor (student aide) who helped me fine tune my physical assessment. I also took steps to correct the complaints leveled against me. I noticed that my instructor did not offer me much in the way of advice or guidance, just disappointment when someone would complain. Now all of the other students were put on other floors from time to time. They were on floor 5S for about 4-5 times then moved to 6E for a while then to OR then to RR and so on. I mostly stayed on 5S. WE were instructed to NOT answer call lights or the phone or anything while on the unit. Then 1/2 way through semester, I was transferred to 2 days at the LTC facility. I went there and my 1st pt was a 700 lb man who could not even sit up by himself. I was to go to get a hydraulic lift to help this pt stand and use the toilet. I volunteered to go look for the lift. When I went to the station (located centrally) NOT A SINGLE NURSE WAS AT THE STATION!!! NOT EVEN A TECH OR A SECRETARY NO ONE!!!!!I went to the other floors (same level just diff hallways) and found a nurse who was w/a pt but she said she would help me with the lift in a minute. I went to the Nurses station and sat down to chart for a few minutes and wait for this nurse. Before she returned my instructor came to the station and low and behold I was the only person at the station sitting down, charting!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE I?????? When I had a pt who had to go to the bathroom and my instructor and 2 other students in the room with my pt. I may as well have had a boc of DONUTS and a cup of COFFEE with me! I didn't return to the room because I didn't want to return empty-handed, and the othernnurse in the pt room told me She would be right with me. If I left and she showed up and I was gone, I thought that would be non-productive and just cause more problems. When I was a kid, my dad always told me to wait. not to go off by myself and do it myself. So I sat at the stationand my INSTRUCTOR came out first. She was NONE too happy with the fact that I was charting. I had a chance to explain this to her, but she was already upset and didn't really care about my explanation. She also said that I didn't answer a call light that morning. that I just went to the door and waited for her to get there. At the hospital, We weren't even supposed to do that! How did I know the rules changed all of a sudden. Then she tells me that she wants to see more initiative from me. I show great initiative , but I never seem to do what they want me to do when they want me to do it. The letter I got makes me sound like I go around with rusty needles dosing patients in the middle of shift or something. I will agree I could have made better decisions and such, but so far, nothing really UNSAFE. My health assessment skills I will agree need improvement as I have had trouble finding the right places to listen for things like murmurs and I have had problems hearing wheezes. Also when I performed a Phys. Assessment on a pt who had osteoporosis I neglected to state Kyphosis in her assessment. I mentioned no spinal curvatures. (I was thinking of scoliosis). and she had age spots, and I mentioned that her back seemed pretty clear. (I was thinking no lesions sores or scars or cuts- I didn't realistically think that AGE SPOTS on a 78 y.o. pt was THAT UNUSUAL! I got in trouble for that also. I just really don't think my clinical performance amounts to unsafe practice since I AM a student. Now I have DONATED MONEY to their nursing program and nothing to show for it. Since I am not really a skilled atty or debater, even if I went to the Nursing Dept. I already surmize that they have their minds made up and They just want me gone! But I have had the WORST STRING OF LUCK and NO AMOUNT OF HELP OR SUPPORT FROM ANYONE!!!!!
Forget the STAGE 4 pressure ulcer that I had to finish packing for one of the primary nurses at the hospital because she was sick and about to leave the unit. I was helping her and she began to cough, and I finished packing a stage 4 tunneling pressure ulcer with exposed bone. I packed the wound with some type of silver nitrate soaked sterile cloth and dressed the wound. I WAS SO PROUD OF MYSELF!!!
You know there weren't any instructors watching me THEN don't ya! I am not an incompetent person. I however have had moments of oversight and much complaining.
I can genuinely see how this would translate to me being a whiner or something. but I just really feel that I could have gotten more help and less slaps on the hand when this only my second semester with a clinical. I feel that other students may not have received complaints like I did, but you can sure bet that they weren't doing the same risky procedures or having the other problems I had either. I would never presume to claim that I am a perfect student and never make mistakes, but I do think I performed better than I'm being given CREDIT for. I really feel that I could make changes and perform remediation to improve my deficiencies but I truly believe their minds are cemented into place and I more than likely won't get another chance with this program. I just don't believe that my journey should end this way.
I really do appreciate all y'alls feedback, and I have already ordered some DVDs and BOOKS to read and watch over the summer. but I really am perplexed about what my next step should be. I do feel that my instructors gave me enough rope to hang myself and then just didn't intervene enough to help me do better.
Okay so I'm reading this post and all I can think is..........Oh thank heavens I am done with nursing school!!!! lol
I hated being a student! I love being a nurse, but the student part! not so much!lol
I would not want to have to repeat that and I feel so bad for all of you in the mitst of it all right now.....! It is a lot to learn and I know some instructors are more like drill seargants! I was lucky to have greaat instructors......I remember my med/surg CI was great.....we always wanted to pull your hair out as she was a bit picky on our notes but we all thanked her for it in the end as it made us better at it........but she was a lot of fun and my peds instructor....what a hoot.....never would do medical peds but she was really great and can take care of my kids anytime--great bedside manor, fun and smart! I guesss I was lucky...........however I went back for my BSN....after a detour...I started out in an ASN program and dropped out because of a horrible nasty CI for med/surg and got my BS in something else but did go back for my BSN and am so glad. This was at a differernt school and the instructors were soooooo much better. So maybe a different school would be a better experience.......I know it was for me.
altered, yes you do need a scope for wheezes....IF you can hear them w/o this is significant in and of itself....and NO in many programs you do NOT pick your own patients!
your general tone was not particularly helpful, and you need a little work on you own attitude
I think her age has something to do with that.
Well,altered I hope you will never make a mistake in your life....
I really feel that I could make changes and perform remediation to improve my deficiencies but I truly believe their minds are cemented into place and I more than likely won't get another chance with this program. I just don't believe that my journey should end this way.
Laura,
Maybe what you need to do is put what happened behind you. You can't change it now. Apply to other schools and if you get in, then you'll have a fresh start with new instructors and a chance to prove yourself and be successful. If you don't think this is the end of your journey in nursing then don't let it be. Keep after what you really want!
When I was in school our instructors ALWAYS picked out the most difficult of patients. How else are you going to learn? They told us that in the real world you will have difficult patients, and not just the few you have to care for in school, but a unit full of them! We had a couple of students in our class that, like you, thought that they were doing as well as the other students. They were not, but they failed to see it, which was part of the problem. Our program director was very very clear, if there were ANY complaints during clinical, you were OUT. Period. She was very good at weeding out people who just didn't "get" it, and like you, they just didn't understand why they were being kicked out. Look, there are ssssooooo many nurses out there that can't find their way out the door in the morning......personally, I think that there are way too many nurses out there that just have no business at all being nurses. You can get good grades in your classes and still not have what it takes to be a nurse.....and YOU have a very poor attitude and fail to see how you are creating these problems for yourself. Don't apply at another nursing school, what, you just want to find one with lower standards? Maybe you should just look into another line of work. It sounds like maybe you just don't get it. Nursing is not for you.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune . I've had that problem before in a nursing program. I reapplyed to the program and I got a letter in the mail stating "I wasn't nursing material, and that I should find another career". That hurted me, but made me mad as HE double hockey sticks!!! But I applyed to another program and got accepted. Now I'm in my second year and will graduate next year. So I say move on to the next program that will treat your like the nurse you are :wink2:
Specializes in Med-Surg, Critical Care, Public Health.
As a clinical nursing instructor, i have nothing but love and compassion for you. Each state have its own set of rules and regulations in nursing. If you are telling the truth and only once you failed the clinical part, then they should have allowed you to reapply without any problem. This has happened to many students in the past and even today, who have moved on to become directors of nursing, professors, supervisors, and or charge nurses. So my friend you are not alone, and do not consider this as a failure.
Remember, any one can teach but it takes someone with special skills to reach students. Please move on and start over again.
To improve your clinical skills, take extra time and go to the school lab to practice. Maybe you can even become a cna, so you can have that extra edge. Develop a professional relationship with a nurse and he or she can help improve your skills.
Ask questions to open up your mind and understanding, practice, practice, practice, and always have feedback from a professional.
To be a professional nurse, you must have a sense of purpose to succeed. What is your motivation or driving force that will help you achieve this goal. So go forth and take charge. Good luck
its really hard to give advice since we havent seen your work or been there to understand the circumstances and the teachers. however, i will say a few things about some of the complaints.
everyone makes excellent points about the doctor - on both sides of the fence. maybe the doctor was offended you didnt acknowledge him or maybe he was annoyed that you didnt realize that he had other things to do... regardless, some students do not realize this and you were one of them.....
forgetting to take gloves off before leaving the room is a big no no. but as a student learning the ropes it happens. this is not a big deal normally if you have only done it once - during your first clinical setting. but, if you were deeper into the program or had been working that clinical site for more than a week- it should have been 2nd nature to de-glove. and if you did it more than once- that is another cause of alarm. an instructor might think - if this girl cant remember to de-glove- how will she remember to double check the med she is pushing or how to keep a sterile field, etc..... if you cant swing the small stuff- you'll never get the big stuff.
from what i can tell from your post - about not realizing to acknowledge the doctor or move aside - that is a lack in critical thinking. no biggie - until you give other examples of lack of c.t. such as - not popping in to tell the teacher that you were getting the hoyer. i understand what you meant when you said that you didnt want to leave and you thought it would be better to wait it out. buttttt- you neglected to realize that the teacher and pt would be getting ansy about where you were. you neglected to realize how it would look when you sat down to chart. even though your actions to you were justified - to the common nurse or student - critical thinking would have told us to tell the nurse who was going to help you that you would be right back or to meet you in the room. then go tell the instructor what the hold up is. critical thinking skills are key in nursing. it doenst matter what kind of grades you make - if your instructors dont think you have the skill to determine and prioritize your tasks properly you wont make it.
take a deep breath... this doesnt mean its the end of your career- but you really need to acknowledge to yourself that you have a problem in critical thinking. the more you realize your errors the more you will learn. and then once you see the flaws- you can implement steps to be more aware of your choices.
Specializes in Med-Surg, Critical Care, Public Health.
this student had two clinical issues from what i read
1. poor infection control habits- forgot to remove her gloves
2. inadequate physical assessment.
these two skills are crucial in clinical practice
and yes, critical thinking skills are pertinent for competent clinical practice.
however, critical thinking is not just getting something right-it focuses on continuous improvement. some instructors do not emphasize the latter.
critical thinking skills develop from knowledge, experience, and repetition. it then becomes a habit to nursing students who will hopefully mature into expert nurses.
some students are slower than others in a clinical setting, due to their previous knowledge or cultural background. clinical instructors have to take those things into consideration.
if the student is truthful in her statement, i envisioned that the instructor's feedback was sporadic. maybe consistent feedback and support would have been helpful in her clinical performance, rather than instilling fear and doubt. from her statement, no one showed any concern or try to understand the cause to her actions. some nursing instructors have an authoritarian leadership style that punishes students rather than upbuild them. this style of teaching is bad for the profession.
on the other hand, if her poor clinical performance was due to an attitude problem (not listening, doing things her own way, or even after offering support and practice repeatedly), then the dismissal is relevant.
things can be done to promote critical thinking.
the student can anticipate questions that others might ask
-(why the scretions is yellow, rather than white).
-get a second opinion (med calculation, or an assessment)
-try and learn more to improve clinical reasoning (research, observe, ask questions).
-be inquisitive (find out why things can and cannot be done)
practicing these skills can enhance a student's level of clinical practice
this student had two clinical issues from what i read
1. poor infection control habits- forgot to remove her gloves
2. inadequate physical assessment.
these two skills are crucial in clinical practice
and yes, critical thinking skills are pertinent for competent clinical practice.
however, critical thinking is not just getting something right-it focuses on continuous improvement. some instructors do not emphasize the latter.
critical thinking skills develop from knowledge, experience, and repetition. it then becomes a habit to nursing students who will hopefully mature into expert nurses.
some students are slower than others in a clinical setting, due to their previous knowledge or cultural background. clinical instructors have to take those things into consideration.
if the student is truthful in her statement, i envisioned that the instructor's feedback was sporadic. maybe consistent feedback and support would have been helpful in her clinical performance, rather than instilling fear and doubt. from her statement, no one showed any concern or try to understand the cause to her actions. some nursing instructors have an authoritarian leadership style that punishes students rather than upbuild them. this style of teaching is bad for the profession.
on the other hand, if her poor clinical performance was due to an attitude problem (not listening, doing things her own way, or even after offering support and practice repeatedly), then the dismissal is relevant.
things can be done to promote critical thinking.
the student can anticipate questions that others might ask
-(why the scretions is yellow, rather than white).
-get a second opinion (med calculation, or an assessment)
-try and learn more to improve clinical reasoning (research, observe, ask questions).
-be inquisitive (find out why things can and cannot be done)
practicing these skills can enhance a student's level of clinical practice
Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.
In my experience, it is the students that have a bad attitude or are generally clueless that get picked on by the nursing instructors. C'mon ladies & gents--we have all had them in our clinical group--they blather on and on during pre and post conference, ask stupid questions that they should know or could easily look up, they want all info handed to them, they dont accept advice readily. Some people try to show the instructor how much they know by talking about it instead of just demonstrating it in their practice. I am not saying the op is one of these people but she should ask herself if she is one of these people. If you are a quiet, pleasant person, many mistakes can be overlooked, however, if you get on the instructors nerves in some way because of your personality, they will hone in on you like a vulture. JMO
. I've had that problem before in a nursing program. I reapplyed to the program and I got a letter in the mail stating "I wasn't nursing material, and that I should find another career". That hurted me, but made me mad as HE double hockey sticks!!! But I applyed to another program and got accepted. Now I'm in my second year and will graduate next year. So I say move on to the next program that will treat your like the nurse you are :wink2:
86toronado, BSN, RN
1 Article; 528 Posts
This post just shows us how little you know, altered. Laura wrote asking for help, and constructive criticism, not ridicule, and sarcasm. If this is how you treat a classmate who asks you for help, you'd better be prepared for the same when you need some advice yourself.